My husband and I enjoy camping. Not the sleep on the ground, no running water or electricity kind of camping, but the kind with amenities. We own a 2007 StarCraft Antiqua hybrid camper. A hybrid camper is part travel trailer and part pop-up. We bought our Antiqua after camping in a pop-up for 17 years. We love our current camper. This blog begins with our 50th camping trip in the Antiqua.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

We camped for the first time at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Jupiter, FL. It's a large park with a lot to offer...biking (off road and paved), boating (canoe, kayak, small motor, and group tours), hiking and touring from your car. The boating takes place on the Loxahatchee River that runs thru the park. There is also the Kimball Education Center with interesting environmental displays and beautiful wood carvings of various birds and animals. However, the primary reason we stayed at Jonathan Dickinson SP is because it's very close to the Nature Conservancy's Blowing Rocks Preserve in Hobe Sound, FL. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Our friends, Duane and Annette, went camping with us.

Always a good time together.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Duane serenaded us with Christmas songs.

"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love Clarence."

Merry Christmas!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There is a very nice one mile paved multi-use trail at JDSP. We rode our bicycles on it several times while staying at the Park.

Some of the rental boats "neatly stacked" at the Park waiting for renters.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This boardwalk leads to an observation tower in the

Park that overlooks the Park and the surrounding area.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As I said, we wanted to see Blowing Rock Preserve. This is an area along the coast with unique Anastasia limestone rock formations. We visited the Preserve both at high and low tide. Each tide had its own unique characteristics, however, at low tide you can walk on the rocks and get a closer view of the variety of rock formations. So cool! I have lived in Florida most of my life and never knew this place existed, but now that I know, I will be back. I took over 300 photos, so I hope I don't bore you with so many photos. The following photos were all taken at high tide between 9:00am and 10:00am:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There is a nice 1/3 mile hiking trail lined

with Sea Grape trees within the Preserve.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Right across A1A, from the Blowing Rocks Preserve, is the Nature Conservancy's Hawley Education Center. The Center hasexhibits

showing some of the ocean and beach habitats and wildlife.

There is also a short boardwalk along the Indian River Lagoon.

Crab Crossing

Zebra Longwing Butterfly

The Zebra Longwing is Florida's state butterfly, which is something I just learned at the Education Center...just goes to show you are never too old to learnsomething new :). Ironically, the above photo was taken right outside the Education Center in the Butterfly Garden.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++